Issue - meetings
Common Housing Register Allocation Scheme and 2016/17 Lettings Programme
Meeting: 01/11/2016 - Cabinet (Item 5)
5 Common Housing Register Allocation Scheme PDF 174 KB
Additional documents:
- 5.4a - Appendix 1 Equalities Impact Assessment QA checklist, item 5 PDF 84 KB
- 5.4b - Appendix 2 Tower Hamlets CHR Allocations Scheme 1, item 5 PDF 1 MB
- Webcast for Common Housing Register Allocation Scheme
Decision:
The recommendations were amended and then agreed.
DECISION
1. To note the changes to the Allocations Scheme regarding the new Right to Move for employment reasons as required by changes in government regulations.
2. To agree to a new sub band in Band 2 of the Allocations Scheme to avoid the risk of legal challenge to present policy on applicants in housing need who do not meet the 3 year residence requirement.
3. To agree to restrict existing policy that allows applicants to bid for 1 bed smaller than their assessed bedroom need and allow room sharing only where children of opposite sexes are both under 10 years old.
4. To defer agreement to amend the quota for Band 3 lets from 10% of one, two and three bed properties to 5% of 1 bed & studios per annum to allow further consideration.
5. To authorise the use of some social housing general needs stock as non – secure tenancies for temporary accommodation up to a maximum of 100 units per annum.
6. To agree the Lettings Plan for 2016/17 and extend it to 2017/18.
7. To agree to add social worker to the professions that qualify for key workers status set out in the Allocations scheme.
8. Re-instate power to discharge the housing duty by making a Private Rental Sector Offer.
Action by:
CORPORATE DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT AND RENEWAL (A. DALVI)
(Interim Service Head, Housing Strategy, Regeneration, Sustainability and Housing Options (M. Baigent)
Minutes:
Councillor Sirajul Islam, Statutory Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Housing Management and Performance, introduced the report. He explained that the report was proposing some minor changes to the housing scheme in order to more effectively meet local needs.
The Mayor thanked officers for the work they had undertaken on the report. However he raised a concern about Recommendation Four on quotas for Band Three. Whilst he understood the reasons being put for the change he was concerned to make sure that this was the best option in the circumstances and so deferred that recommendation for further consideration. Subject to that change he agreed the recommendations as set out in the report.
RESOLVED
1. To note the changes to the Allocations Scheme regarding the new Right to Move for employment reasons as required by changes in government regulations.
2. To agree to a new sub band in Band 2 of the Allocations Scheme to avoid the risk of legal challenge to present policy on applicants in housing need who do not meet the 3 year residence requirement.
3. To agree to restrict existing policy that allows applicants to bid for 1 bed smaller than their assessed bedroom need and allow room sharing only where children of opposite sexes are both under 10 years old.
4. To defer agreement to amend the quota for Band 3 lets from 10% of one, two and three bed properties to 5% of 1 bed & studios per annum to allow further consideration.
5. To authorise the use of some social housing general needs stock as non – secure tenancies for temporary accommodation up to a maximum of 100 units per annum.
6. To agree the Lettings Plan for 2016/17 and extend it to 2017/18.
7. To agree to add social worker to the professions that qualify for key workers status set out in the Allocations scheme.
8. Re-instate power to discharge the housing duty by making a Private Rental Sector Offer.